On Thursday, a heated debate erupted in the Senate over the funding source for regional development commissions across Nigeria. This issue came up during the consideration of a bill to establish the South-South Development Commission, following the existing commissions for the North East, North Central, South East, North West, and South West regions.
Some of these regional commissions were recently approved by the National Assembly and signed into law by the president.
The disagreement centered around a proposal by Kaka Shehu, chair of the Senate Committee on Special Duties, who recommended that 15% of the statutory allocations from states within each geopolitical zone should fund their respective development commissions.
This suggestion faced strong opposition. Senator Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa West argued that states would resist such deductions, as it would mean a reduction in their monthly funds. Echoing this sentiment, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi of Kebbi North warned that states might even take legal action against the federal government if this recommendation becomes law.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin defended the proposal. He explained, “Each state has a monthly statutory allocation. Fifteen percent of that, as stated in the report, would be calculated by the federal government and deducted from the consolidated revenue fund to support their development commission.”
Despite murmurs of disapproval from some senators, Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the clause to a vote, and it was adopted. The upper chamber also removed a provision that would have granted immunity to board members and executives of the development commissions.
The bill to establish the South-South Development Commission was subsequently passed for a third reading, moving it closer to becoming law.
